Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice

Happy July 4th, 2009 Santa Barbara CA - Fireworks Information

Kevin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:35:48 +0000

**All information provided by the city of Santa Barbara

Location and time of the fireworks this year (2009)?

Beginning at 9 p.m., Saturday, July 4th, another spectacular fireworks display sponsored by the City of Santa Barbara will take place at west beach (between the Harbor and Stearns Wharf).

This year the Fireworks are being produced by Pyro Spectaculars and “The Show” is scheduled to last approximately 22 minutes and consists of 1500 “you know whats”.

Viewing is open to everyone and free of charge.

Food and Drink

Throughout the day you can come down to the beach and enjoy the food, beverage and craft vendors along Cabrillo Blvd. starting at noon and continuing up and through the fireworks display.

July 4th, Parade

The 46th Annual 4th of July Parade down State Street starts at 1 p.m. and the Santa Barbara Symphony and Santa Barbara Choral Society entertain at the courthouse beginning at 5 p.m.

Music

Live music will be featured during SPARKLE’s 2009 Freedom Celebration at West Beach beginning at 7pm and free to the public.

Street Closures

As is with every year, we are all encouraged to walk, bike, take the bus or carpool down to the waterfront to help with the traffic situation.

Cabrillo Blvd. between Castillo Street and Calle Cesar Chavez will be shut down to ALL traffic no later than 6pm and opened as quickly as possible upon the conclusion of the fireworks
Many streets in the waterfront area will be one way only or closed after 5pm. Closure times may vary subject to traffic and parking situations.

Enjoy and be safe!! Happy 4th of July…kevin schmidtchen

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Carpinteria Real Estate Sales Update, Santa Barbara CA. — First 6 Months 2009

Kevin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:27:32 +0000

For the first 6 months of 2009, there were 43 total closed sales of single family homes and condos in Carpinteria CA. Currently as of July 1st, 2009, there are 35 properties in Carpinteria that are pending sale (under contract).

The lowest sale in Carpinteria was a 2 bed 1 bath condo in need of a good amount of care located at 5936 Birch Street, Carpinteria CA, 93013. The sales price was $210,000.

The highest sale in Carpinteria was a prime oceanfront double lot with an older home located at 3447 / 3445 Padaro Lane, Carpinteria CA, 93013. The sales price was $6,350,000.

Overall, the market in Carpinteria has been pretty strong as far as activity in the first 6 months. The biggest reason for this is simply that parts of Carpinteria (along with Goleta) have a large share of most of the lower end short sales and foreclosures that we are seeing in our area. If you would like a more complete update on the Carpinteria market and/or any other areas within Santa Barbara, Montecito, Carpinteria, Goleta, Hope Ranch, Summerland, and/or The Santa Ynez Valley, please feel free to contact me.

Further Reading:

For information on Real Estate here in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Montecito and/or our surrounding areas, as well as any other aspects of life in our area, please don’t hesitate to contact Kevin Schmidtchen at Sotheby’s Int’l Realty.

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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Summerland Real Estate Sales Update, Santa Barbara CA. — First 6 Months 2009

Kevin — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:55:08 +0000

For the first 6 months of 2009, there were 3 closed sales of single family homes and condos in Summerland CA. Currently as of June 30th, 2009, there is 1 property in Summerland that is pending sale (under contract).

The lowest sale in Summerland was a decent lot with a fixer home with ocean views located at 2536 Banner Avenue, Summerland CA, 93067. The sales price was $650,000.

The highest sale in Summerland was an impeccably remodeled home with expansive ocean views located at 2551 Emerson Street, Summerland CA, 93067. The sales price was $2,100,000.

Overall, the market in Summerland has been pretty slow as far as activity in the first 6 months. For no real reason, this area simply has been the slowest in the entire Santa Barbara area. Good inventory to choose from, but not many buyers until the last several weeks. If you would like a more complete update on the Summerland market and/or any other areas within Santa Barbara, Montecito, Carpinteria, Goleta, Hope Ranch, Summerland, and/or The Santa Ynez Valley, please feel free to contact me.

Further Reading:

For information on Real Estate here in Summerland, Santa Barbara, Montecito and/or our surrounding areas, as well as any other aspects of life in our area, please don’t hesitate to contact Kevin Schmidtchen at Sotheby’s Int’l Realty.

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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Goleta Real Estate Sales Update, Santa Barbara CA. — First 6 Months 2009

Kevin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:42:22 +0000

For the first 6 months of 2009, there were approximately 155 total closed sales of single family homes and condos in Goleta CA. Currently as of June 29th, 2009, there are approximately 72 properties in Goleta that are pending sale (under contract).

The reason that I use the word “Approximately” is the simple fact that there are several homes that are located in “Goleta”, yet have a Santa Barbara address. There is also a substantial area in our town that is referred to “No-leta” which is a grey area between the towns of Santa Barbara and Goleta. So depending on whom you ask and how long you have lived here, certain residences and/or areas are considered to be Goleta even though they have a Santa Barbara address. Feel free to contact me and I will explain any of this in further detail.

The lowest sale in Goleta was a pretty decent studio condo located at 450 Camino del Remedio #E, Goleta CA, 93117. The sales price was $128,000 and reflects the fact that these units are income restricted low-income county housing. The lowest sale in Goleta that was not restricted via the county housing program was 1 bedroom bank-owned condo located at 5512 Armitos Ave, Unit #45, Goleta CA, 93117. The sales price was $190,500.

The highest sale in Goleta was a newly built (2008) gorgeous single level Spanish / Mediterranean style home with ocean views located at 1260 Via Brigitte, Santa Barbara CA, 93111. The sales price was $3,300,000.

Overall, the market in Goleta has been pretty strong as far as activity in the first 6 months. The biggest reason for this is simply that Goleta has a large share of most of the short sales and foreclosures that we are seeing in our area. If you would like a more complete update on the Goleta market and/or any other areas within Santa Barbara, Montecito, Carpinteria, Goleta, Hope Ranch, Summerland, and/or The Santa Ynez Valley, please feel free to contact me.

Further Reading:

For information on Real Estate here in Goleta, Santa Barbara, Montecito and/or our surrounding areas, as well as any other aspects of life in our area, please don’t hesitate to contact Kevin Schmidtchen at Sotheby’s Int’l Realty.

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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The Mesa Real Estate Sales Update, Santa Barbara CA. — First 6 Months 2009

Kevin — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:08:12 +0000

For the first 6 months of 2009, there were a total of 23 closed sales of single family homes and condos in The Mesa Neighborhood here in Santa Barbara CA. Currently as of June 27th, 2009, there are 19 properties in The Mesa area that are pending sale (under contract).

The lowest sale on The Mesa was a beat-up, bank-owned condo located at 50 Barranca Avenue #6, Santa Barbara CA, 93109. The sales price was $457,400.

The highest sale on The Mesa was an ocean view home with a pool located at 1538 La Cresta Circle, Santa Barbara CA, 93109. The sales price was $1,852,500.

Overall, the market in The Mesa Neighborhood was pretty normal as far as activity in the first 6 months in which many people tend to buy in this area. If you would like a more complete update on The Mesa market and/or any other areas within Santa Barbara, Montecito, Carpinteria, Goleta, Hope Ranch, Summerland, and/or The Santa Ynez Valley, please feel free to contact me.

Further Reading:

For information on Real Estate here in Santa Barbara, Montecito and/or our surrounding areas, as well as any other aspects of life in our area, please don’t hesitate to contact Kevin Schmidtchen at Sotheby’s Int’l Realty.

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

Subscribe to Receive Personal Listings of Santa Barbara Real Estate

Search The Santa Barbara Area MLS

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Mission Canyon Real Estate Sales Update, Santa Barbara CA. — First 6 Months 2009

Kevin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:14:02 +0000

For the first 6 months of 2009, there were a total of 7 closed sales of single family homes and condos in the Mission Canyon Neighborhood here in Santa Barbara CA. Currently as of June 25th, 2009, there is 1 property in the Mission Canyon area that is pending sale (under contract).

The lowest sale in Mission Canyon was a true fixer, bank-owned property located at 2668 Montrose Place, Santa Barbara CA, 93105. The sales price was $515,000.

The highest sale in Mission Canyon was a beautifully remodeled contemporary home with amazing views located at 2931 Holly Road, Santa Barbara CA, 93105. The sales price was $1,960,000.

Overall, the market in the Mission Canyon Neighborhood had been a little slower than normal until the fire in May. With this recent fire, the market here in Mission Canyon is now mixed and time will tell where we will be. If you would like a more complete update on the Mission Canyon market and/or any other areas within Santa Barbara, Montecito, Carpinteria, Goleta, Hope Ranch, Summerland, and/or The Santa Ynez Valley, please feel free to contact me.

Further Reading:

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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San Roque Real Estate Sales Update, Santa Barbara CA. — First 6 Months 2009

Kevin — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:43:33 +0000

For the first 6 months of 2009, there were a total of 27 closed sales of single family homes and condos in the San Roque Neighborhood here in Santa Barbara CA. Currently as of June 23rd, 2009, there are 12 properties in the San Roque area that are pending sale (under contract).

The lowest sale in San Roque was a 2 bedroom 2 bath, single level bank-owned condo located at 2727 Miradero Drive, #303, Santa Barbara CA, 93105. The sales price was $365,000.

The highest sale in San Roque was an extensively remodeled 3 bedroom 2 bath, single family home located at 3141 Calle Fresno, Santa Barbara CA, 93105. The sales price was $1,400,000.

Overall, the market in the San Roque Neighborhood had been slower than normal until about the last 2 1/2 months. Now the market here in San Roque seems to have stabilized with both prices as well as active buyers. If you would like a more complete update on the San Roque market and/or any other areas within Santa Barbara, Montecito, Carpinteria, Goleta, Hope Ranch, Summerland, and/or The Santa Ynez Valley, please feel free to contact me.

Further Reading:

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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Happy Father’s Day from Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice

Kevin — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:30:48 +0000

Happy Father’s Day

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When is the Best Time of the Year to Buy and / or Sell Santa Barbara Real Estate?

Kevin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:21:39 +0000

As a Realtor here in Santa Barbara, I am often asked the question about the general cycle of Real Estate in Santa Barbara CA and thus…Is there a better time of they year to buy and sell….Is there a season?

Obviously if you are a buyer or seller, different times of they year might be better than others and different markets are better than others…thus many factors go into this complex decision beyond just the time of year. But…since enough clients seem to always ask some form of this question, I will try and break the Santa Barbara Real Estate Market down into a normal yearly cycle, although none of this is pure science if you will. It is simply a pattern that Santa Barbara seems to follow most years.

Additionally, most of this summary is a run down through the real estate market from the entry level price point up to about $3-4 million. From $3-4 million and above the market seems to move at its own steady pace throughout the year.

Yearly Cycle:

From January through May of each year, we seem to build up inventory with more new listings taking place during this time than other parts of the year.
From February through roughly June, buyers are very active and seem to buy up much of this inventory.
Summertime seems to be a mixed bag each year with the amount of new listings as well as the amount of buyers.
Mid September through Thanksgiving is also a busier time with sellers as well as buyers.
December is always a mixed bag, but generally slower.

Month to Month Run Down:

January - Slower with inventory starting to build. Most people just getting ready with all the new changes a new year brings
February - Market picks up with both sellers and buyers
March - Very active buyers and sellers
April - Very active buyers and sellers
May - Very active buyers and sellers
June - Slower but steady as there are many changes with families and schools
July - Decent market both buyers and sellers
August - Slower market as many families are making changes, sending off kids to school, paying large summer bills
September - Market picks up with both sellers and buyers
October - Very active buyers and sellers
November - Very active buyers and sellers until Thanksgiving
December - Slower market but serious buyers

Within this basic breakdown, there are also many small markets taking place. One example is in the summer months where many parents are looking to purchase condos for their children to live in that are near Santa Barbara City College or UCSB. Sellers are doing the same as their children have graduated and moved on. Another example is The Mesa which really seems to draw buyers during the months of February through August as the weather is often gorgeous there during this time of the year and/or cooler as people fulfill their dreams of living close to the water.

Further Reading:

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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What’s In and Out with Regards to Santa Barbara Real Estate in 2009

Kevin — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:21:02 +0000

What’s In and What’s Out for Home Buyers and Sellers here in 2009?

A lot has changed here in just 12-15 months with regards to how home buyers and sellers are approaching real estate here in Santa Barbara CA. This got me to thinking about some of these noticeable changes that I wanted to share below.

What’s In

Buyers that were waiting on the sideline. Those that had been waiting out the market transition to finally get off the fence are starting to do so. For many, price benchmarks have been reached and pending sales are jumping.
Smaller home renovations. Many sellers are staying put and with the combination of the changed housing market and the overall economy, current homeowners are only making small home upgrades to satisfy their current needs.
More accurate home pricing. Sellers are really looking to their agent’s expertise when setting a listing price for their home. A lot of research is going into looking at closed comparables, the current competition for like houses, the likely mortgage needed based on the sales price, what an appraiser would say etc.
More balanced reporting in the mainstream news. The doom and gloom that was throughout the mainstream news headlines in 2008, does not simply apply to all markets. Santa Barbara has for sure taken a hit, but the national headlines often do not translate directly to our town. There is a lot of foreclosure hype nationally that simply does not apply to most of our local area. I would estimate that 90% of the foreclosures that do exist in our area can pretty well be categorized both geographically and to a specific price range.
Creative home seller financing. Home sellers with little to know mortgage on their home are offering self-financing to very qualified buyers as one option to move their properties.
Real estate agents as a complete housing resource. Most realtors that jumped into the business in the boom and/or simply average realtors are having a hard time. Seasoned, educated, hard-working and customer driven realtors on the other hand are doing relatively fine. The old adage of 20% of the realtors are making 80% of the $$ is really holding true. These 20% are true resource-driven agents looking to advise and guide their clients.

What’s OUT

Fixer-upper homes. Unless a home is truly priced as a fixer upper…no way. With larger down payments required by pretty much all mortgage lenders and consumer credit cards maxed out, home buyers simply don’t have the extra money to fix up homes.
Home buyers endless “circling” the 1 or 2 homes they love. The Santa Barbara market is moving and overly optimistic buyers circling their #1 choice indefinitely are losing out. Homes that are priced right are selling.
Part-time realtors as well as most newer real estate agents that started their career in the boom. For several years, having a instant client based was expected by both part-time and newer agents. To a certain point, many deals for 2-3 years were often about order (contracts) taking. Now the market and industry has changed dramatically and consistently servicing clients needs along with skill and knowledge is both expected and needed. There are mixed numbers out there, but I would personally estimate that the amount of realtors in the business is down 40% from its peak in 2006.

Further Reading:

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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